Heartbeat
by Riza A
Summary: Just how did an injured Integra get out of the basement after being shot by her Uncle? And who could have possibly taken care of her wounds? [AlucardxYoung Integra]


When Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing turned thirteen, she acquired a monster. Almost immediately that monster proceeded to violate her orders in such a way that she could do nothing in terms of punishment.

"Alucard, I need to go get this taken care of," Integra gestured weakly to the still bleeding wound on her arm. "Could you lead me out of here?" His too wide and too sharp smile answered her question as he stepped to the side and gestured to the door.

"This way please, master. I'll take you to the ground floor."

The walk was silent and as pleasant as a jaunt through an underground section of a mansion, with a vampire as her guide, could be. The wounds that her uncle so graciously bequeathed her continued to bleed sluggishly– the graze on her left cheek didn't bother her nearly as much as the shot on her upper arm though. Luckily that bullet had also only grazed her, and would not need to be removed – something she suspected would have been more painful than the actual wound. As Integra started to recognize her surroundings she sped up to take the lead away from Alucard, who was currently giving her a look that she didn't understand. His eyes dark and hooded, and his smile tilted up on the right, exposing one shining fang to her human eyes.

Ignoring the shiver that it gave her, Integra made for a set of stairs that she knew would take her out of the dank underground section of her home. Her small grin of relief, however, was cut off when a large hand firmly settled over her shoulder, effectively stopping her. The grip was not painful, but it was firm enough to tell her that it could be if he wished it. Immediately she stiffened. Had she been tricked? Had the vampire Alucard just pretended that she was now his master? Some kind of sick ploy to play with her before he killed her; drained her dry? Her blue eyes were wide as he turned her stiff body towards him, his face only inches away from hers.

"A – Alucard?" She questioned, trying to move away from his grasp, even knowing that he was a thousand times stronger.

"Why, master, your wound needs to be cared for – you said so yourself. Now relax. I won't bite." The feral gleam in his eyes and the wolfish smile made her think otherwise, and she frowned at his tactless comment. Integra tried again to move away but found now that she seemed to have very little strength left. Her limbs were shaking from shock, grief, lack of food and, in all probability, blood loss. Not only was her body weak, but her mind was as well. He father had only been dead three days and her uncle had tried to kill her, would have killed her, when a vampire came to her rescue. The very creature that she had been warned about her entire life – a 'gift' from her dead father in her time of need.

Now, Integra had seen violence before, even if only the diluted televised variety. She had also read a great deal on the subjects of death, torture and massacres. But what she had seen in that underground prison cell was something that she knew would haunt her forever. Though it was the sheer enjoyment in Alucard's eyes that had frightened her the most. In light of all this, it was understandable that when thirteen-year-old Integra opened her mouth to order Alucard to let her go, it came out with less conviction than she would have liked.

"I'm afraid that I cannot do that. You see, Integra, you ordered me to 'get you cleaned up' and to lead you out of the underground. I have done the latter, and am now obliged to do the former."

"When I said I wanted to go get taken care of, I meant by human doctors! And you are most certainly not human, nor a doctor. So let me go this instant or I'll –" Her tirade was cut short however by a disbelieving snort from Alucard.

"Human doctors?" He spoke those two words with a distinct and undisguised air of disgust. "A human doctor would crudely sew you back up, wasting all that blood and leaving you with a terrible scar. Not to mention the risk that infection poses to your fragile human body." He kneeled now before her, effectively ripping the torn and bloodstained sleeve away from her injured arm before she even had a chance to protest. "No. My method is much better; much simpler." At that, Alucard set to licking the blood off of her skin, staying away from the edges of the actual wound and just doing clean up. Integra was shocked into both silence and seemingly, paralysis. A _vampire _was licking her. A vampire was _licking_ her. As his cool tongue drew closer to the actual bullet wound Integra considered pulling away, but then as if on cue, his fingers on her shoulder flexed and she was reminded that she wouldn't be able to even if she wanted to (Oh, how she wanted to). He passed over the raw flesh on her arm and she hissed, pulling away as far as she could, but just having him reel her in all the closer and making a small 'shh'ing sound in the back of his throat. She soon found that the pain was fading. Casting a curious glance to where the vampire was licking away, she nearly gasped at the length of his canines and the burning brightness of his eyes. Then she saw the shrinking wound between laps of his tongue and her fear was overcome and silenced by amazement.

"How?" She exclaimed breathlessly, eyes wide and trained on her own unmarred skin as he licked away the last of the blood. The smile he gave her was disconcerting and stained red.

"Ancient vampire trade secret." He said, before reaching up an arm and taking off her glasses. "One left," He reminded her as she flinched away from him. Oh, yes. The scratch on her face. He gently licked away at the cut and within moments it healed over, but he still kept his face beside hers. Integra barely even flinched as he laid his cheek against her chest, nose to her collarbone. She was about to demand what he was doing when he suddenly smiled. It shouldn't have been strange. Afterall, he had been smiling since she had met him, but this one was different. It was soft, one of simple pleasure – rather than sick amusement or mockery. So, Integra held her tongue and let Alucard do whatever he was doing. If those teeth came anywhere near her throat though, so help her God…

She was surprised when she got an answer. "I have no intention of biting you, master. I would never do so – unless you ask it of me." She couldn't stop the enraged blush that covered her cheeks and had to restrain herself from pushing Alucard away.

"What are you doing?" She settled on disturbing his peace. With a sigh Alucard moved away from her, setting her glasses back on her face with delicacy, and stood.

"Listening to your heart beat." With another smile, this one sad, he moved away from her towards the stairs and was on the fifth one before he turned his head to look over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Coming?"

Stunned, all Integra could do was nod as she made her way up after him, into the light, wondering who Alucard really was.


End file.
